The strings are breaking, it appears, when a ball is struck outside the sweet spot, right near the upper head area of the frame. Usually it's looking like the string broke because of a weak spot or something but I'm not sure.

My question is: Does anyone know if there's something I'm doing with my string jobs that could be causing the strings to break quickly like this? It doesn't happen all the time, just more frequently than I'd like. The string is good, it's not too old and hasn't been left in high-heat. I'm not tensioning it too high (only 50 to 55 lbs) and I only tension the string 2 lbs more before knot tie-offs. I have a Silent Partner Aria stringer. I string 2-piece all the time (if that matters)

Any ideas?

Fedfan4life

08-22-2007, 01:23 AM

Is there just one specifc area where it breaks or its all over the frame?

jamauss

08-22-2007, 01:39 AM

Pretty much just the mains, at the top of the racquet, 3 or 4 strings from the center mains, either side.

Bent

08-22-2007, 02:27 AM

This has been debated a lot.

If you do a search, you will find input. "Shearing".

I have had great success with installing tubings in the 4 center m's.

kirbster123

08-22-2007, 05:07 AM

Check your grommets for any damage, and try to hit the sweetspot everytime. Just kidding.

shojun25

08-22-2007, 05:14 AM

use nylon tubing in the top 4 mains then.

by the way, is it only occuring in the same racquet or all the racquets you've strung?

jonolau

08-22-2007, 05:45 AM

Is it the same racquet or across different racquets?

I have a sneaking suspicion that you may have inadvertently kinked the string when pulling it through the grommet.

jamauss

08-22-2007, 07:11 AM

It has happened on different racquets. Where can I get this nylon tubing?

jonolau - what do you mean "kinked the string when pulling it through the grommet" ? The string twisting or something?

Owfred

08-22-2007, 07:17 AM

It has happened on different racquets. Where can I get this nylon tubing?

jonolau - what do you mean "kinked the string when pulling it through the grommet" ? The string twisting or something?

I think he meant any deformations like twisting and bending the string inadvertently which weakens the string.

Maybe check to make sure your clamps are not too tight? Are they leaving marks on the string? Is breaking near a tie-off knot or on a main serving as an anchor?

diredesire

08-22-2007, 07:18 AM

Sounds a lot like shearing. Poly strings are typically the culprit. Since they are so stiff, they will just snap when exposed to the stress of an off center/near the frame shot. The string actually bends a GREAT amount when struck close to the edge, and since the frame inhibits deformation, it tends to just snap.

This assumes, of course, that you are practicing good technique. Use a slower pull speed if possible, and be careful of kinking. Some people as mentioned above like to use tubing in the top grommets, but I HATE tubing holes if i dont have to.

TennezSport

08-22-2007, 08:00 AM

All good advise above.

Since you say it is happening on different racquets and different string types, you may want to look at your stringing machine and make sure your clamps are not too tight. As mentioned earlier, make sure you do not kink the string when loading or pulling. Also, if any of these string has the starting or finishing knot, make sure that the knot is not over tightened.

You may want to check the grommets on all of these racquest also, to be sure you do not have grommet damage. Poly strings are very susceptible to sheering if hit near the frame and especially if there is bad grommet (broken, dried out hard, badly deformed). If so, get a grommet grinder to remove the bad grommets and replace them with the individual fittex grommets, or a new grommet set for the specific racquet.

Hope this helps. Good luck

TennezSport :cool:

Nuke

08-22-2007, 10:20 AM

Where can I get this nylon tubing?
Here at TW, of course: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpage-TUBING.html

jonolau

08-22-2007, 05:37 PM

It has happened on different racquets. Where can I get this nylon tubing?

jonolau - what do you mean "kinked the string when pulling it through the grommet" ? The string twisting or something?

Just be aware that the nylon tubing can only fit through shared grommets and I find it too wide to fit through other grommets. If your regular grommets are worn through, the simplest and best thing to do is to buy a new grommet set.

But since it has occured on multiple frames, it' most likely due to kinking. Polys have more coil memory than other types of strings and are more susceptible to twisting when pulling through the grommets. So, if you pull too fast without keeping the loose end straight, it "kinks" up at the grommet thus causing a weak spot at the grommet.

Just be more careful when pulling your strings towards the end.

jamauss

08-22-2007, 05:50 PM

Thank you everybody for the advice/comments. It sounds like shearing to me but I'm going to be more careful also with this next string job and see how it goes. I might also look at putting a fresh set of grommets in the racquets (NCode 95 and RDS001) after I take a look at them

Hidious

08-22-2007, 06:42 PM

Just thinking out loud: something similar happened to me and i was wondering if clamping too tight and damaging the string could be an issue?

pow

08-22-2007, 07:09 PM

There are many different reasons I can think of.

Some head shapes are hard on strings near certain parts of the grommet.
The grommet may be damaged and cuts the string.
Excess shanking of the ball hard and high can break them against the grommets.

Steve Huff

08-22-2007, 08:08 PM

I had the same problem with SPPP 1.23. I sent it back and got a reel of SPPP 1.28. I haven't had any problems with the thicker gauge. Sensation isn't really a very strong string, so I'm not surprised on that one either.